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Main page > Products > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts - The weekly bulletin > Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (40) 728
Politics in Russia: power, lobby, conflicts. Issue No (40) 728
September 22 - 28, 2008
Main tendencies of political week
Last week UR leader Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the party’s regional activists. There were no dazzling images and statements PM is known for made at the meeting, this is why it was covered by journalists in a usual working mode. Meanwhile there were several strategic statements voiced. Firstly, United Russia was officially declared the leading political force on the federal and regional levels (this was made in a mild form without using such phraseology as “leading and guiding force”). Secondly, consolidation on the party field was approved and its approximate parameters were fixed. Finally, Vladimir Putin straightforwardly pointed to the necessity to continue internal discussions in the party, which seems to be contrary to plans of some top functionaries of the party of power.
The appointment of Anatoly Chubais as head of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnology (RCNT) was an indicative event last week. It seems this decision was preceded by active behind-the-scenes arrangements of leading elite groups that were divided into supporters and opponents of this indicative figure’s appointment to an important post. It seems the first group made concessions to the latter but got considerable bonuses and compensations. Among the concessions is the transfer of functions of regulating the electrical energy market to the commission for energy headed by Igor Sechin. These functions belonged since May to the energy ministry. Moreover, Chubais may have undertaken some additional obligations, e.g. financing the process of creating a liberal party on the right wing loyal to state authorities.
Administrative struggle in the government practically shriveled and died last week. This can be explained by the desire of participants to pause and analyze acquisitions and losses as well as by a soon cardinal reshuffle and restructuring in the government; rumors about it were circulating the whole summer. The latter may devalue acquisitions made over the past few months.
Major events September 22 - September 28, 2008
| Event | Winning side | Defeated side | Development Outlooks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vladimir Putin meets with UR regional activists | Vladimir Putin, United Russia |
| Consolidation on the party field will continue |
| Vladimir Putin meets with representatives of Just Russia faction in State Duma |
|
| Meetings with parliamentary minorities will be of protocol character |
| Igor Sechin is appointed head of the government commission for electrical energy sector | Igor Sechin | Sergey Shmatko | Energy ministry will be pushed aside from regulating the electrical energy market |
| Anatoly Chubais is appointed head of RCNT | Anatoly Chubais |
| There unlikely to be a sharp conflict between Chubais and the Kovalchuk brothers |
| Oksana Sergiyenko is appointed deputy finance minister | Alexey Kudrin |
| This appointment will to a great extent legalize the existing realities and will not result in changes in the layout of forces inside the ministry |
| Nikolay Kutin is appointed head of Rostekhnadzor | Nikolay Kutin, Yury Trutnev
|
| Kutin used to be the second person in the entity, so there will be no sharp staff changes |
| Head of Federal Health and Social Development Inspection Service Andrey Mladentsev asks for resignation |
| Tatiana Golikova | Attempts to introduce combination of functionaries and businessmen in the health ministry will stop |
| Rosprirodnadzor deputy head Oleg Mitvol says he will appeal against decision to dismiss him in court |
| Oleg Mitvol | Natural resources minister Yury Trutnev is unlikely to support Mitvol or he will distance himself from the conflict |
| Vladimir Putin’s decision to assign additional authority to the naval board headed by Sergey Ivanov | Sergey Ivanov |
| The board’s decisions will still be of recommendation character |
| The results of check of the Russian Academy of Sciences by the Prosecutor General’s Office are published | Prosecutor General’s Office | Russian Academy of Sciences | The results of the check may become another attempt to launch offensive at the academy’s financial and economic independence |
| Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s interview with Le Figaro |
|
| Supporters of the thaw will interpret this fact as Dmitry Medvedev’s desire to start crawling liberalization |
Volume: 15 pages
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